Monday, March 30, 2009

The recital went well. It was, quite possibly, the longest recital in history (there were some audio problems and costume delays making it about an hour longer than it was supposed to be) but all the pieces went well. I had a shiny costume and bindi and had a fun time. All the group numbers were done properly and my solo went off very well. I am pleased. A few of my family members were there to cheer me on and J was taping it for us so we can have a DVD for a keepsake. The batteries on the mic feed are only supposed to last for about 3/4 of the length of the recital, so the end audio may be a bit crackly, but you don't plan on things being an hour longer than they are scheduled to be, so he can't be faulted for that. Luckily he popped in a spare tape (just in case) so he had enough to record it all :)

On Sunday I got to visit with some old friends I haven't seen in ages...that was nice. Hi Cindi. Hi Kristi :) I even got to go for a long walk in the rapidly melting paths in my yellow rubber boots and watch the world start to melt into spring. I made experimental jalapeno cornbread biscuits...they were yummers.

It was all a very nice weekend.Tonight is my last tribal belly dance class. We're combining with the intermediate class and having a bit of a dance party/lesson/snack time. It'll be nice. I'll miss the slow down of belly dancing now that classes are done for the summer. My one class is being extended for a month as there is enough of us around who would like to keep coming, but my crazy schedule for the recital prep is over. I'm glad - it was getting to be a bit much to tell the truth. LuckilyI have some DVDs I can keep training with until the fall when classes startup again... and I'm sure I'll find enough to do to fill in the time...

Friday, March 27, 2009

Don't forget!Tomorrow, March 28th at 8:30 PM, your local time is Earth Hour.Join the world and turn off the lights for an hour.The goal this year is to get 1 billion people around the globe involved this year.

Tomorrow is my bellydance recital.Woot.Come by Holliston school at 2 PM. 23 performances, some groups, some solos. A few of the girls who've been dancing 8 years are doing solos...they are AMAZING. The rest of us aren't too shabby either...

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

You're just too good to be true.Can't take my eyes off you.You'd be like Heaven to touch.I wanna hold you so much.At long last love has arrivedAnd I thank God I'm alive.You're just too good to be true.Can't take my eyes off you.

Pardon the way that I stare.There's nothing else to compare.The sight of you leaves me weak.There are no words left to speak,But if you feel like I feel,Please let me know that it's real.You're just too good to be true.Can't take my eyes off you.

You're just too good to be true.Can't take my eyes off you.You'd be like Heaven to touch.I wanna hold you so much.At long last love has arrivedAnd I thank God I'm alive.You're just too good to be true.Can't take my eyes off you.

I love you, baby,And if it's quite alright, I need you, baby,To warm a lonely night.I love you, baby.Trust in me when I say: Oh, pretty baby,Don't bring me down, I pray.Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay...

Against my better judgement I'm going to reveal my age and a considerable amount of my tacky side -this morning on the way to work I dug out some old music I haven't heard in years - the advantage of having every CD I own on my iPod. My choice? Pet Shop Boys. Mock if you like, as yes, their music is very much on the gay side of house music, but they were my first real exposure to electronic dance music, other than Yello. (You know, Oh Yeah?Ferris Beuller's Day Off? I'm just making it worse for myself aren't I?)I know a lot of people dislike their remake of Where the Streets Have No Name, as on the surface it is a bit of a bouncyed up version of the original, but the parts of the song, like just shy of 2 minutes where it breaks into Da NA Da NA Da na NA NA NA NA...and then they switch lyrics and sing "I love you baby and if it's quite alright I need you baby..." are absolutely fabulous. It makes me smile and walk with a swagger and think happy lovely thoughts. It's been floating about in my had for days and I had to dust it off to listen to it again. Can't Take my Eyes off of You is such a beautiful song...and in this remake? I shouldn't like it, but it just works for me. I'm sorry if your image of me is somewhat sullied by the image of me bopping about to bad house music, but on a morning like today, I was bobbing and grinning all the way to the bus...

Add to that, the fact that all I have had in my head since I woke up is the image of this Lichtenstein print, and it's starting out to be one strange day...

Monday, March 23, 2009

So...sniff...BSG ended. And it ended well. I was pleased by how it all wrapped up. And I will miss it. It was about the only show TV I've followed the past few years, so now I think the TV will gather some dust...this is not an entirely bad thing I think. Lots to do this summer. Spring has to come soon...there will be much to do in the real world.

Like this week: This week will be consumed by bellydancing. 3 recital practices and 1 regular class...and some more practicing in there at home somewhere...and then (finally!) the recital on saturday.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

On the busride home from getting my haircut today (in a rather kickass style I must say) I was struck yet again by a particular set of ads that I see in the buses and how incredibly biased they are.They're ads for condoms. The one geared at men has cute girl in a cowboy hat blowing on her fingers, which are pointed like a gun. Cute and sort of sexy in a slightly tacky way. The captio? "Protect your Sex". OK. Fine. Make a guy feel like he's out and may have a romantic thing with a cute girl. OK...makes sense.My main issue? The same ad campaign geared at women. THAT ad has a slimy leisure suit larry kind of guy with bad hair and teeth looking smug and creepy. The the caption? "Because sometimes in life there are no doovers".

Hmmm...Apparently regret and fear are great marketers for women. We're just desparate.

Uh huh...I'd just like to see the same ad for men with a sleazy leopard skin cougar woman smoking a cigarette at the bar at closing time. Bet THAT won't sell as many condoms...

May the blessed sunlight shine on you and warm your heart till it glows like a great peat fire.

May the blessing of the rain be on you—the soft sweet rain.May it fall upon your spirit so that all the little flowers may spring up, and shed their sweetness on the air.May the blessing of the great rains be on you, may they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there many a shining pool where the blue of heaven shines, and sometimes a star.

Monday, March 16, 2009

"A woman's love of shopping is a throwback to her days in the caves, according to a new study. Shoppers are using instincts they learnt from their Neanderthal ancestors, researchers have found.Dr David Holmes, of Manchester Metropolitan University(who, is being given wasted $$ and has his head up his arse) said:"Gatherers sifted the useful from things that offered them no sustenance, warmth or comfort with a skill that would eventually lead to comfortable shopping malls and credit cards. In our evolutionary past, we gathered in caves with fires at the entrance. We repeat this in warm shopping centres where we can flit from store to store without braving the icy winds."

If you can believe it, this was a study paid for by a shopping centre to find out why people shop more in January. The grand conclusion?

"It seems our gatherer instincts are coming to the fore and affecting the way we shop in these testing times."

Um yeah. It's totally not due to us all getting gift cards for Christmas or anything. And that the mall is full of mostly useless distracting junk that we don't need for "sustenance" Sure we might want to get out a bit to warm up, but that's no great cultural historical link...its just glaringly obvious. AND (perhaps my most vehement point) WOMEN DO NOT GENETICALLY LOVE SHOPPING YOU BIASED DISCRIMINATING YABO!*ahem*

I'd just like to say on behalf of educated researchers everywhere: Please don't lump us in with men like this. This is ridiculous. I can't believe someone paid someone to come up with this.

*ahem* Just wanted to mention casually that if MEC wants to sponsor similar "research"with some camp gear gift certificates I'd be willing to fart out a report like this too...how hard could it be?

Although I am pumped to say that I have tickets to see Coldplay in Edmonton in June, and that I used an advanced code that had science in it to get the tickets, I confess I don't have a lot else to say. So, here's a meme for ya.

Current mood: Tired but optimistic. I'm trying to figure out my work for the week and am getting nowhere, so I'm taking an early break. I know. I know...this isn't getting me anywhere is it?

Current music: I've been listening to the new Fort Knox Five albums we bought over the weekend a lot. Funky.

Current annoyance: Winter's inability to f*ck off and die. It really has driven me squirrely as of late, this eternal winter (coldest since 1952 apparently). It's finally above 2 zillion below, but now it's windy and snowing. *sigh*. It was nice on the weekend tho - nice enough to go tobogganing for hours, so I suppose I'll just have to grit my teeth a bit longer. The equinox is coming soon...

Current thing: Origami. I've made little boxes and swans and the like. I'm on the lookout for new little things to fold out of paper...any ideas?

Current desktop picture: A picture of 3 robin eggs in a nest of feathers with a quote "don't worry about a thing cause every little thing is going to be alright". I like it. Don't know why...

Current song in head: "All I want" by Younger Brother. Played it while I got ready this morning and it is stuck in there for good...

Current DVD in player: Season 2 of the Venture Brothers, disc 2. Just finished the demented Scoobie Doo parody with the homemade zombie ("prostituuuuutes!"). This show makes me laugh. It is utterly demented. I can't wait for season 3...

Current refreshment: Coffee, with cream and sugar. Since it's a coffee break, who am I to argue? In this, I am willing to conform...

So, have a snicker and begone with you. There is much to be done this fine day... Have a good day all.

So. Very. Tired.I went to see the Watchmen (again) last night with a friend of mine. I really enjoyed it....it's a very good adaptation of the comic book with only a few changes that I can live with. It stood up to seeing it twice. A bit graphic but overall -fantastic. I am not dissapointed.Man, I can't seem to wake up....but at least I have nothing going on tonight...so I can relax. Probably fall asleep doing whatever I'm doing :)It'll be nice.I think I'll go have some more coffee...If you hear some snoring, just bang some pots and pans together to wake me up OK?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Diddums tagged me with this a while back and it slipped my mind, until I saw The Bag Lady with the similar meme challenge.What is it you say? Well, you are given a letter and you must think of 10 things you like that start with it and why. I was given the letter B. Here we go...1. Bellydance - yup that one was easy. I've become hooked on bellydancing - the feeling of it, and the strength of movement I've acquired. I can do things with my torso and hips I never thought I would be able to, and I am getting to the point where I'm doing (eep) a solo at the end of the month. With any luck, I will not suck (that rhymes...hee)

2. Bollywood - so help me I love bollywood films. They are musicals with a side order of cheese...and usually the costumes are beautiful and the dancing makes me smile. Sometimes even the singing is good too. Usually cheesy love stories with people occasionally stopping to break into song or screw in the light bulb. Nice.

3.Bucky balls - Buckminster Fuller developed the geodesic dome, a structure based on a truncated icosahedron molecule made from 60 carbon molecules. It's the most stable form of carbon clustery and it just looks cool too...technical name is buckminsterfullerene. *ahem*

4.Botany - having moved to a house with lots of windows and all day sun, I've gotten fascinated with plants. My first job after university was working in a plant genetics lab, and I acquired a green thumb there. In university plant biology seemed pretty dry and boring (no lungs or squidgy bits to be seen) but as I worked with plants I found that I love greenery and plants and someday my garden will be a lush oasis. Plant development is fascinating - a single microspore develops into a basic cell, which, depending on the hormones present, can turn into any part of the plant. It's why they're so hardy. And they make energy from the freaking sun! Can you do that?

5.Bananas- I love them..sliced, frozen, in smoothies, with tahini on toast...you name it. Then there's all the bakery you can make with them...mmm...

6. Betelgeuse - It is the second brightest star in the constellation Orion (my favourite constellation) and the ninth brightest star in the night sky. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant, and one of the largest stars known. I've spent a lot of time lying on my back staring at the stars..this one in particular.

7. Books - I love getting lost in a new book. I can laugh, be carried away to another world, learn about the life of someone I admire...gain new knowledge. My imagination is a great place to hang about in...

8. Beer - God help me, I like beer. Not the wimpy lagers...but the full flavoured stouts and ales. Fruits, flavours and things combine to make a delicious tasting yummy beverage. I've even delved into the brewing of it all...and my Strawberry ale was a resounding success. You can even cook with it in place of wines. Some people prefer wine...I'm OK with it, but for me, a fine beer surpasses any wine. If you don't like beer, you just haven't found the right one yet!

9.Breakfast - I'm a sucker for breakfast. I like breakfast for supper. Breakfast for lunch. And of course brunch :) When else can you make elaborate concoctions with eggs and bacon... and then there's pancakes too...and Johnnycake...waffles...crepes...french toast...I could go on but I'm getting hungry. On the weekends I love spending a good hour making a decadent saturday muncheon...makes me happy. It's the most important meal of the day you know :)

10. Battlestar Galactica (new series) -(OK I'm reaching here...it's hard to think of 10 things). I have enjoyed this show a great deal - layered characters, legends, science, apocalypse and an ancient religion. It's got a complexity of story and characters that is very rare. I will miss it when it is done in (sniff) 2 more episodes...intelligent drama is so rare...

There you go. If you'd like a letter to try, let me know...I'll pick one at random and send it your way...

Monday, March 09, 2009

First off: It's -31. With the wind it is -43.What the flying frack? It's March. Enough. 20 degrees below seasonal norm is a bit more than I can take. My little brain is revolting. I had just made my peace with it being a bit cold. Today is too much...I should not be in ski pants and have my hair in a frozen frame about my bundled up head by the time I get to work anymore.

*breathe deeply*

There...had to get that out.

How are ya all this fine subarctic morning?Me? good. This weekend was Telamiracle, the provincial fundraiser for $$ to help handicapped and those with special needs and their families. It goes for 24 hours and is on the TV. J volunteered time as camera guy this year, so I tried to come and watch a bit of it. They raised 3.8 million dollars this year - fantastic. I'm always so happy at how this province bands together to help out others.

Other than that...not a lot to say. I'm currently into origami, excessive amounts of Earl Grey tea and muttering about the weather. I did get my nephew's wedding invite in the mail - squeee! Needless to say we've replied already. I can't wait for May-an old friend may come to visit whom I haven't seen in over a decade, and then it's off to visit some old friends J and I haven't seen in years...then my nephew's wedding! I have never been out to Ontario to visit since my sister and family moved out that way about 10 years ago. After I'm staying to visit and hang out in Ottawa with the family....I can't wait. I'm hoping to get to the National Gallery while we're there. J has to go back as he doesn't have as many holidays as I do, so I'll be on my own spelunking about Ottawa. I'm very excited. Just gotta keep it together until then..The song Warrior's Dance off the new Prodigy CD has me itching to run. Alas...not on a day like this. I even have spiffy new running pants. How longmust I wait? How long?Soon I hope...

Friday, March 06, 2009

Hi there all you average mom's who are terrified your kids will get bizarre things like autism and IBS from vaccines.

The more I read, the more frustrated I get. How did so many people get so paranoid?I have news for you that hopefully will help you listen to us sciency wiency people a bit: Mixed MMR Vaccines are safe. They protect you from disease and prevent epidemics. That MMR triple vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella a doctor linked to autism in children? (Andrew Wakefield (demon I name thee...)) HE ALTERED HIS RESULTS TO SHOW WHAT HE WANTED THEM TO. Yup, he made them up. No they have never been reproduced...not because of a large sample size or interfering big drug companies - it's because it was not true. There is no link.

Ya wanna play in the deep pool with the big science types? Don't make your sh*t up. We hate that.

There will always be someone who reacts to something, and modern vaccines are much safer than previous ones. I say look at the alternative...polio, measles, rubella, hepatitis on a massive scale, infecting the aged and the very young, crippling the strong. By not vaccinating your children you put them (and others!) at risk for dangerous diseases like this. If you're lucky you live somewhere away from a random outbreak of them and your kids will have a fab immune system - if not...well have a look at the ravages of polio and measles. It's not pretty. Some children may have adverse reactions to things...but I say, ask for better vaccines. Listen to your body. Don't deprive your children of, what is in my mind, a necessary thing.

Be smart. Do your research. Talk to your doctor. Don't just listen to talk shows and celebrities (like Jeni Barnett...boourns)- I feel silly even having to be stating this but they aren't doctors. There is no medical conspiracy to force you to be vaccinated for some sinister financial or physical gain. Want to know more? Missprism has a good post here. And also, take the medical field's info with a grain of salt. Use the brain your mamma gave you. Calculated risk? I say it is necessary. But I also say this: if your child appears to be a rare person who has a severe allergic reaction to a medication or a vaccine talk with your family doctor about it...everyone is unique. It is possible. There are alternatives. Use them.

Vaccines safe lives. If I were you I'd be far more concerned about all the processed crap you eat...THAT sh*t will kill you far quicker...

It freezing and snowing...and you know what?I give in...I embrace the winter.I'm going to take it all in...and after rehearsal tonight I'm gonna grab my snow kit and a toboggan and go up and down the hill near my house until I'm giggling like a five year old.Then I'm going to bumble home and drink cocoa and watch a bad horror movie.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

It's my parent's 49th wedding anniversary today.Yup - 49. That's a lot of years to love someone. Next year is their golden anniversary. I'm going to put my head together with my brother and sister at my nephew's wedding this summer and see if we can't pull something off for them next spring. My Dad just called to say hi from Arizona and Mum gushed about the roses he got her. Softie :) It was so nice to hear them so happy.

Right now they're sitting in the sun, golfing and generally relaxing for March while I am here slowly thawing out. I'm glad they could get away-Mom's 75 and her heart was being bad for a while, so they're very happy she's feeling well enough they can travel together and get away and travel. It's been a few years since they have been able to. They like to go down with my Uncle and aunt and friends and rent a house for a month in Arizona every spring right when they can't stand winter anymore and just do whatever pops into their head. Not bad if you ask me. If they go to Mexico for the day they promised to being me back a bunch of vanilla...the good stuff. Yum.

Trekkies of the world twitch about and rejoice, for you too can now smell like his greatness, James Tiberius Kirk.

image sourceYes, a new cologne, called Tiberious is being made to commemorate the new Trek movie. Apparently (*snort*) there will also be a RedShirt and Ponfar scent line...for all you accident prone people and vulcan lovers out there...

If I could make it throught the whole ordeal at the cologne counter with a straight face I'd be curious to see just what it smells like...apparently there are hints of citrus, black pepper, and cedar. Mmmm. Tasty.

I can just see nuzzling up to J on a cold eveniing..."oh, what is that alluring smell? Mmmm...hints of Shatner...Oh Tiberius! Take me now..."

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

I've been listening to this album a lot. Last Days of Gravity by Younger Brother. It's a project album of SimonPosford (AKA Shpongle and Hallucinogen) and Benji Vaughan (AKA Prometheus). Both of these guys make good psytrance...but this album is much more. It's not so much one sound. It's hard to pin down stylistically...all I know is I love it.

This album was a happy accident - we received it by mistake in an online order...and man am I glad we did. It's a great, unique album. The tracks "Happy Pills" and particularly"All I want" have been in my head for days...brilliant. Have a listen. The whole album is more downtempo electronica...not ambient, just nice. This is for...oh...doing whatever (like oh, say, lab work).

Not much to say lately...just working, practicing my bellydance and trying to keep warm...

Monday, March 02, 2009

Well, I had a nice relaxing weekend and I'm feeling a bit better.J was on nights all last week, and it was nice to finally just hang out and just spend the weekend together. Besides making some tasty foods and reading a lot, we rented City of Ember, which I'd recommend. It's a kids film, but it is really high concept. Sort of a modern day Logan's Run, in that a society has failed by destroying the world, so they build an underground city for people to retreat to and live in for 200 years until it is safe to come up to the surface again. The builders leave behind instructions on what to do when the time is up so the people know how to get back to the surface...only over time the message becomes legend and the instructions get misplaced. Suddenly it's been longer than 200 years and the power and food supplies are waning...what to do? A few people find the old plans and try to follow them and find out what is going on and how to get up to the surface.This never made it to our theatres, which is a shame. It's a good story with no violence or easy outs-full of creativity and ideas. If you get the chance to rent it do, it was very imaginative.

What I'm doing in my head ALL THE TIME

About Me

I'm a nice person. No really, I am.
I'm definitely not trying to create a monster in my lab and I'm definitely not working on a cure for cancer...Well....OK maybe. After kicking breast cancer's ass I got back to mad science -maybe my research will help cure cancer some day...the monster thing just sounds more cool...if being a scientist can be said to be cool...umm...
hey what's that over there?
(whoosh!)